INSCRIPTION OF GAMPOLA PERIOD

THE MADAWALA ROCK INSCRIPTION ,1461 A.C.

47th regnal year of Srimat Siri Sangabo Sri Parakramabahu Cakravartti Svamin Vahanse
 OF111,pp.235-245,  This introductory note is given below:
This inscription has once been published in Sinhala,(Visvs Brahmanaviniscaya pp.81, 82)
But the splendid condition of the record , its historical interest and the absence of any
specimen of the script of the period from Epigraphia Zeylanica are sufficient reasons for its apperrance here.
                          It is cut in bold letters on a rock in the village of Madawala in the pata Dumbara Division Kandy District. It is enclosed on three sides by a rectanjular frame, out side of this, at the top, are the moon and the sun , a hammer and anvil, while on the left side, are a hammer, anvil and apair of pincers in the upper half, and a crow and a dog in the lower.
              The inscription records a grant of land to a silversmith Paramanaya of Siddavulla and his son suriya by king Sirisangabo Sri Parakramabahu 6, in the year following 46th of his reign, in the presence of Dantotavature Deven and Divana watte Lanka Adhikarin, the signatures of these dignitaries are reproduced in the left hand upper corner of the record as Apana aset up in the 47thnd Joti Sitana. (EZ., 3,p.236)
and donation are open to doubt. According to his rendering the donor of the grant was Parakramabahu  6 of Kotte, himself. It is clear by the wordings that the eppigraph was set up inthe 47th year of that king. But the king s participation in this affair is not suggested by any word or phrase in the document. Instead the two signatories appearing in the left top, as is separately boxed, seem to be really the donprs. They have declared themselves, one below the other, I am Apana, I am Jotiya Sitana. Codrington identifies these with the two dignitaries Dantotuvature Devan and Divanawatte Lankadhikarin figuring in the end of the document. According to the wordings it becomes clear that the document declaring the grant was written in the presence, medava, of these two dignitaries, as such they were the attesters to the grant and not the donors as Codrington interprets. The ten aghampandi, mentioned in the line last but one, in whose presence, madava, the inscription was engraved, also bore witness to the effect that the deed of the grant was documented in the presence of Dantituwature Devan and Divanawatte Lankadhikarin.
              As such there is no connection of King Parakramabahu 6 with the grant other than his name and regnal year being quoted for the purpose of the dating of the document. So the donors were apana and Jotiya Sitana, the attesters to the deed were Dantotuvature devan    and Divanawatte Lankadhikarin,  and the attesters to the engraving of the epigraph were ten aghampandi.         
                       Codrington s identification of apana with the Prince of Gampola dynasty and Jotiya Sitana with the dignitary by that name is correct as is evidenced in the Parakumba Siruta.
             However it is noteworthy that the Madaeala Inscription is the only document so far found in the hill country bearing the name and the regnal year of King Parakramabahu 6 of Kotte during the long reign of 55 years of this king.As such the Madawala Inscription is the first evidence to prove that this king s authority had been acknowledged by the people of Up Country, at least by 1462, A.D.
                           Earlier, in the historical back ground, our attention was drawn to the Chinese information that,  a Sri Lankan king by the name Parakramabahu sent his son as the head of a delegation to the Chinese court in 1459 and while he was in China, his father, the Sri Lankan king, Parakramabahu passed away and a grand son of the king usurpered the throne, as such the king s son settled down  in China. We also noted that the Sri Lankan king who sent the mission to China in 1459, was Parakramabahu of Dadigama, a contemporary and a brother of Parakramabahu of Kotte. Based on the information furnishfd in the Asgiri Thalpata, we noted that after the demise of Parakramabahu of Dadigama, the powerful  dignitaries of the Dadigama court created revolts here and there through the greed for the kingship and that apana and Jotiya Sitana in theMadawala Inscription werw two of them.There after the immediate turn of the political trend in the Hill country would be demonstrated by the ubsequent documents.

A  INSCRIPTION OF GAMPOLA PEIRIOD

EPIGRAPHIC REC ORDS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE LAST RULERS OF THE GAMPOLA DYNASTY

THE GALLE TRILINGUAL SLAB INSCRIPTION OF CHENGHO, 1409 -1415 A.C.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY HAS BEEN GIVEN IN JCBRAS , VOL. 22, PAGE-129. A PAPER EMBODYING AN ACCOUNT OF DISCOVERY, THE TEXT AND TRANSLATION OF THE CHINESE VERSION, THE RESULT OF THE VARIOUS ATTEMPTS TO DECIPHER OTHER TWO RECORDS , AND A DISCUSSION ON THE HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE EPIGRAPHS , WAS CONTRIBUTED BY MR. E. W. PERERA , TO THE SPOLIA ZEYLANIA. A DETAILED DISCUSSION BY SENARATH PARANAVITANA APPEARS UNDER THE HEADING NO.36 , THE TAMIL INSCRIPTION ON THE GALLE TRILINGUAL SLAB , IN EZ. VOL. 3-1933 , REPRINTED IN 1987 .PP.331-341. THIS ESSAY CONSISTS OF AN ANTIQUARIAN NOTE , ORTHOGRAPHICAL PECULIARITIES , THE LANGUAGE OF THE TAMIL VERSION , THE DATE , THE CONTENTS OF THE TAMIL VERSION , THE TEXT AND TRANSLATION OF THE SOME, THE TRANSLATION OF THE CHINESE VERSION AS APPENDIX , A , AND THE TEXT AND TRANSLATION OF THE PERSIAN VERSION AS APPENDIX , B AND APPENDIX , C , A NOTE ON KATTI BY H. W. CODRINGTON.

                                      THE DATE OF THE EPIGRAPH IS THE SECOND MONTH OF THE SEVENTH YEAR OF YUNG LO , THE CHINISE EMPEROR , AND THAT WAS 1409 A.D. IT HAS TO BE NOTED , AS GIVEN IN THE ASGIRI THALPATA ,THAT THE LAST KING OF GAMPOLA DYNASTY , VIRABAHU WHO WAS AT THAT TIME RESIDING IN JAYAWARDHANAPURA KOTTE , HAVING BROUGHT THE SACRED TOOTH RELIC ALSO THRRE , WAS DEFEATED BY VIRA ALAKESVARA OF RAIGAMA , WITH THE MERCENARIES BROOUGHT FROM SOUTH INDIA , IN 1409 A. D. ,THE SAME YEAR , THAT CHENG HO CONSTITUTED THE  DALLE TRILINGUAL INSCRIPTION.

                                      THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE TAMIL VERSION OF THE GALLE INSCRIPTION GIVEN BY PARANAVITHANA COULE BE SUMMARIZED AS FOLLOWS .

"THE CHINESE EMPEROR HAVING HEARD OF THE FAME OF THE TENAVARAI NAYANAR IN CEYLON,SENT TO HIM THROUGH HIS ENVOYS CHIN HO AND WANG CHIN LIEN, VARIOUS KIND OF OFFERINGS OF WHICH DETAIL LIST IS GIVEN, WHILE IN THE TAMIL VERSION OFFERINGS SEEM TO HAVE BEEN MADE TO GOD OF DEVINUVARA UPULVAN, IN THE CHINESE VERSION DONATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE BUDDHA, WHEREAS IN THE PERSIAN VERSION DONATIONS SEEM TO HAVE BEEN MADE TO AN ISLAMIC SHRINE OR A  SAINT.

THERE FORE IT APPEARS THAT THE CHINESE WHEN THEY GAINED THE POLITICAL ASCENDANCY IN CEYLON IN 1409, WITH THE ECLECTICISM IN RELIGIOUS MATTERS CHARACTERISTIC OF THERE RACE , MADE GIFTS OF ABOUT EQUAL VALUE TO THE BUDDHA TO A DEITY WHO, WHATEPER MAY HAVE BEEN HIS ORIGIN, WAS AT THAT TIME OF HINDU CHARACTER AND SLAMIC SAINT OR SHRINE, AND CORD OF THESE VARIOUS GIFT WAS INSCRIBED IN THE SAME STONE",SAYS, SENERATH PARANAVITHANA. (EZ3,PAGE 334).

INSCRIPTIONS OF THE GAMPOLA PERIOD GADAINSLADENIYA ROCK INSCRIPTION OF TDHARMMAKITTI STHAVIRA

THIS inscription , which is at the Gadaladeniya temple in the Udunuvara division of Kandy District ,has previously been edited and published by S.Paranavithana in the Epigraphia Zeylanica Vol . IV , pages 90 - 110 ; he records by way of an introduction a very comprehensive account of this record , and we shall reproduce a summary of that account below : ' This epigraph is inscribed on the surface of a large roke at the site ; it covers a large area of rock - surface , measuring , roughly 14 ft. by 13 ft. 6in. It consist of 45 lines of writing of which the last thee are almost totally effaced.

The script is Sinhalese of the fourteenth century. The letters, which are, on an average, 3in. in size, have been boldly incised to a considerable depth and, in the preserved portions of the record, are clearly legible. Large patches of the inscribed rock-surface have peeled off, thereby causing many lacunae in the text.

After the auspicious words at the beginning, the first line contains a Sanskrit sloka in the Indravajra metre; and the rest of the record is in Sinhalese. The document belongs to the period, which has produced the best Sinhalese prose writings; hence, as may be expected, the language, reminiscent of that of these works, is correct and grammatical.

The record is dated in the third year of Bhuvanaikabahu (the Fourth) and also mentions the Saka year 1266, expired. The exact date of this record is the full-moon day of the month of Vesaga inSaka 1266, which is equivalent to Wednesday, April 28, 1344 A.D; and as the third regnal year was current at this date his reign must have commenced in 1341-2 A,D. About this monarch himself, our record does not help us learn anything new.

The contents tell us about the foundation of a shrine of Buddha ot Gadaladeniya by the great Sthaviri Dharmmakirtti who came of the Ganavasi stock. he account of the building of the temple, which comprises more than one-third of the record, is followed by a long list of lands dedicated to it by various personages. The Ganavasi  family is said to

The inscription also gives certain deteils about the architectural features of the shrine and the images and painting with that is was adorned. The name of the architect who designed the building is given as Ganesvaracari. His name indicates, as we can also guess from the style of architecture, that he was a South Indian.

Among the persons who granted lands to the shrine, after it was completed, are a number of the great dignitaries- princes, feudal lords, generals, bankers, and so forth. The majority of these personages are not known from other sources. the most important ampng these are Sena Lankadhikara, Virasinha Patiraja, Nissanka Patiraja and Prince Virasundara.

TRANSCRIPT

1 Svasti subhamastu Sri DHARMMAKIRTTI-STHAVIRADHIKARAI JANANVI.......viharan tun ...punyam anaika rupan karapayan Sri ghana Sri  viharan
2 Sri Saka varsayen ekva dahas desiya sasata avuruddak pirunu sanda mekal raja pamini Tri-Sinha-
3 ladhisvarv Bhuvanaikaba(hu na)rendraya-hata tun-vanu (Vesaga) (PURA) PASALOSVAKA Sri mahabodhi vada
4 Sri Lankadvipayata pamini (Gana)vasi-vamsabhijata Dharmmakirtti sthavira-padayan vahanse Da 
5 mbadiva-t Sri Dhanyakataye (demal) pilima-geyak.......boho (ra)n ruvan..........Lankadvipa-
6 -yehi-t (boho)kalayak pavatna lesa si(lamaya pilima) geyak karavanu kamativa Raja Yuva-
7 raja A(dhikara Se)nevirat (Arttha)naya(ka)....nayaka......nayaka...liya-
8 -nnan a(di vu pru)thuvisvarayan da.....n da (Ksatriya) Bra(hmana Vai)sya Sudra adi (utta)ma-
9 -dhama janayan da Sinhala Demala adi vu......sena ke..tta...karava panamin la(k)-
10 sayak vicarat vi tun siyak yala vicarat (di)vastu-sastra pratima-sa(stradi)yehi vi......a
11 Sati thapati-Ganadhipati Ga(ne)svaracarin pradhana kota ati acarivarun lava Singuruvana-de-
12 nuvara maddhaye Dikgala-atale tun-mal pilima-geya karavana sekpalle samadhi-va...
13 Suyama Santusita Natha Maitri adi deviyan visin pirivarana lada vajrasanarudhava Bodhin-vaha-
14 -nse-ta pita la vada hun sadhatuka maha-pilimasami(nut) anu pilima de-dena vahanset(no)-
15 -yek citra-karmmantayen vicitra kota karava mudun-male caitya garbbhayehi  Parijata vru-
16 ksamulayehi Pandukambala(sanaru)dha-vamatru-devaputra pramukha Sakra Brahma adi de(viyan pi)ri
17 -vara  Vijam desanava-ta vada hun (Buddha)-rupaya karava vi(hara)ya -ta araksavak-ut uva manava yi........de-
18 -viraja-geyakut karava bodhi caitya pusparama phalarama(din) saraha taman-vahanse.........ya-
19 n karavana lada........Dharmmakirtti nam me viha(raya daka) samadhi-va.....deni......i-
20 -miyae......(karm)mantaya-ta panam tun-dasak vi(carat)...gevala di(vel vaha)l...
21 sarak sa....vara-batgamin pidu biju...........Se(nevi-radu)-
22 -n ha Virasinha Patirajayan (ha) denna......Ilupa(ndeniye)n pidu mul-biju
23 samunek Sena Lankadhikarayan taman(ta divelat ) siti San(desse)n pidu kuburu bi-
24 -ju ek- yala dasamunek Kesava Vannakkan ha Dan(gamu)......man ha denna
25  satu sa.......(Gadi)ladeni-gam de-bhagayen mul-biju......munak mularamba(yehi pi)-
26 -duya (De)vagiri Patiraja(yan) tamanata divelata siti......lpitigamin biju samunak
27 puda.......sarak-ru dasayek Bisovala De Patirajayen Elirata Utural-
28 len (pidu kumbu)ru biju yalek Kalu Sitanan Mayatugamu batgamin pidu ku-
29 -mburu (biju).......k ha ge-vattek Nissanka Patirajayan pamunuven
30 pidu bi(ju amune)k Vijaya Patirajayan Rangamin pidu kumburu biju da-munak ha
31 vahal-ru tunek Virasundara KumarayangeNaranriya(nin) pidu kumburu biju
32amunek Anura Attarun Gannorugamin aya otu di ban(dhunu)t
33 prayojana vindina lesata pidu kumburu biju pasamunek (desima deke)k Jivasinha Kumarayan
34 Minginiyapotten pidu kumburu biju dasamunek Suva Kumarayan Samdes(sen pidu) kumburu
35 biju.......munek hagam-kadavara ekek Suva (Patira)jayan Uduvelin pidu gam-kadavarak ha ku-
36 -mburu (biju a)mu(ne)k me se ma Daliveli(n kumburu) biju da-munek Aludeniye Gattara di
37 -velin amunek Pilimatalavuve(n amunek) Kirivavulen amunek Sapanin a-
38 -munek Iddavelin amunek  A.........n  amunek Ambulmigamin tun-pale-
39 -k Unapatangen tun-palek Mangala(ga)min tun -palek Piligamin de-palek Digi-
40 -li Senanayakayan Ambakke Boke-kumburen pidu biju da-munek
41 Min Dahampasaknavan Kirivavulen pidu biju (amunek)......de-pale-
42 -k Vatanapasa de-palak yati-migon de-ruve(k) kumbu(ru biju)....k
43 (Setti).......k (Be)regamin panam.....k de ga(t).....k
44 Peragama (Se)nanaya(kayan)a......(vili-yaya)............
45 .............kota Nara.......n uda  tanu Kumburu biju na(va)....;

Inscriptions of Polonnaruwa

It is the silver era of ceylon. The inscriptions were written on stones ,slabs, pillars , flagmantantars , and caves. It was written from the nineth centuary to the 12th centuary.This inscriptions were written during the period of Polonnaruwa era , doneted by kings for monestary and viharas.This inscriptions were written in the Brahmi letter scripts and ancient Sinhala scripts.They are simple and ancient scripts of ceylon.It is creative and smooth work of the technicians.ITis very difficuilt to copy it.

POLONNARUWA RAJA MALIGAWA PILLAR INSCRIPTIONS OF KING MAHINDA-4

This quadrangular pillr ,measuring about  6ft. by 9 in .by 8 in., was discovered at the site of the so-called Raja maligawa (royal palace( which stands within the Citadel at Polonnaruwa.It now lies on the premises of the Archaeological Commissioner at Tops vava,The inscription is engraved on the first three sides of the pillar between paralled lines. Side A contain 40 lines , b 42 , and c 36.The aksaras , belong to the alphabet of the early eleventh century A.D. The letters a,r, and medial vowel u have open lower ends. These , as well as most of the others , closely resemble the type of the characters in the Vevalkatiya slab of Mahinda 4. The style of the language too bears out this age , the introductory portion agreeing nearly word for word with the first three lines of the two long slab records of this king at Jetavanarama in Anuradhapura

.                                              The date of the inscription is the tenth day of the fast half of the lunar month of Navam (Jan-Feb) in the eighth regnal year of king Siri Sangbo As in most of his other records, Mahinda 4 is mentioned here by his biruda only. His perents names are also given as king Abha Salamevan and queen DevGon , without any infomation whatsoever which might lead to their identification.

                                                 The subject is the granting of immunities to a village called Kinigama belonging to Kulu-Tisa-rad-maha vehera of the Mahavihara Nikaya, and situated in the Eastern Quarter. This monastery both from its geographical position and the etymology of its name may be identified with the Kuta- Tiss-Vihara mentioned in the Mahavamsa as one of the viharas richly endowed by king Sena 2 (917-952 A.D.).
                            

                                          transcript

(Svasti sri) sirivat apiriyat guna mulin uturatva mulu Dambdivhi an Katkula pamili kala Okavas rada parapuren himi Kat usabnat agmehesunvu Lakdiv polo navayona parapuren himi Abha Salamevan maharadhat ema kulen sama da Dev gonbiso radana kusa ipada apa mahaya siri vinda pilivelse rada pamina dasaathi patiri yasatedin radkarana Siri Sangbo maharadahu tuma sat langu atavana havuruduyehi navaya sanda pere admashi dasapak davas Maha vehera Nakahi bad padumpashi KuluTisarad mahaveher avu KinigamaDagadarahi vehera Kinigamakuli melatti hara attani kanu hinduvannat vadala ektansamiyen a Bamba Senevi Lokanathan vara van Mekappar Vadarum Kolomba Budim isa Mekappar Nittaraa Agboyim isa Kiling Dimbula navan varan Mevan Mini Kilinggam Kiling Satim isa Ramuk Kundasala navan vara van Kundasala Vatkami Mihindim atuluva ap metuvak denamo ekseva padumpashi avu  Tisa maha veherabad Kinigama megam satara simayen atulatvu tak tanat tundise rahasin novadna kot isa Demel   Kinigam lad piralakkam medamat vada kuli melatti dandu murandu mangiva pedivanoganna kotias Maha alin diya van tak tanata kulita vattat hasulanat ganna diya    du velvassan vel kami yan no vaiakanu isa alat pere    a variyav misa aselin gamat vada variyan noganna isa perenattu novadna isa velvassan gamat vada talan puupan nokapanu isa gamat vada mivun galgon no ganna isa kota mara me gam vana gamin  pitat karava ganut misa gamat novadna isa arakkan perelakkan deruvana dekamtan yamunguru veli gattan dunuva balatun novadna isa Nuvara gala Sen Seneviradun kam himiyen me gama mahaalin diya vadna tak kamat tanat gasu gas dennat a Perevari Budu atuluva metuvak dena visin vadaleyin me attani kanu siri labha dena ladi,

 

 

 

  

INSCRIPTIONS OF ANURADHAPURA PERIOD OR ERA

It is the golden era of ceylon the inscriptions. Were written on stones , slabs , piiiars ,flagmantantars , of therocks , in the caves. It was written from the first centuary to the eighth centuary.This inscriptions werw written during the period of Anuradhapura era ,doneted by kings and loards for paddy fields ,largelands monestary and viharas. This inscriptions were written in the brahmi letter scripts. It is simple and ancient script of ceylon. Brahmi letter script are popular script inancient eastern countries. It is creative and smooth work of the technicians of ceylon. It is very difficuilt to copy it.

archaeological sources in ceylon

INSCRIPTIONS OF CEYLON

• Anuradhapura period or era

• Polonnaruwa period or era

• Mahanuwara period or era

COINS OF CEYLON

• Anuradhapura period or era

• Polonnaruwa period or era

• Mahanuwara period or era

 

IMAGES OF CEYLON

• stone murals and imegas of Anuradhapura period

• stone murals and imegas of Polonnaruwa period

• metal murals of polonnaruwa period

• images of mahanuwara period

 

WALL PAINTINGS OF CEYLON

• wall paintings ofearly historical period

• wall paintings of Anuradhapura period

• wall paintings of polonnaruwa period

• wall paintings of mahanuwara period

 

CARVINS OF CEYLON

• stone carvins of anuradhapura period

• stone carvins of polonnaruwa period

• stone carvins of yapahuwa period

• stone carvins of mahanuwara period

• wood carvins of gampola period

ARCHITECTURE OF CEYLON

• architecture of early hisrorical period

• architecture of anuradhapura period

• architecture of polonnaruwa period

• architecture of yapahuwa period

• architecture of  gampola period

• architecture of mahanuwara period

HANDYCRAFT OF CEYLON

• wesmuhunu art of wood

• mat art of pan leaves

• mat art of niyanda leaves

• other crafts of tal leaves

• laksha art of wood

• crafts of elephants teeth

• art of clay

• handy crafts of metel 

• handy crafts of gok leaves

• art of rukada

INSCRIPTIONS COINS,IMAGES,WALL PAINTINGS,CARVINS,ARCHITECTURE AND HANDY CRAFTS EDUCATIONS